Miscellaneoiis Papers. 167 



HAS THE QU ^ LITY OF DRUGS IMPROVED SINCE THE 

 ENACTMENT OF THE FOOD AND DRUGS LAW? 



By M. N. Wedel and L. D. Havknhill. 



TO ANSWER tliis would require accurate data pertaining to 

 the quality of drugs both before and after the passage of this 

 law. Unfortunately there is but little suitable data upon which to 

 base a reply. It would seem that the careful supervision exercised 

 by the federal and state governments must have a salutary eifect, 

 but to offset this there are the published results of the various 

 oflScial laboratories, which show but little decrease in the percent- 

 age of adulteration. In this connection, however, it must be re- 

 membered that these official reports are upon substances which 

 were collected mainly because they were thought to be adulterated. 

 Practically no record is kept of the total number of samples ex- 

 amined and passed by the inspectors, and, therefore, conclusions 

 other than that adulterated drugs still exist should not be drawn 

 from sucli reports. 



Nine years ago one of us, L D. Havenhill, reported upon the 

 quality of commercial cream of tartar to this Academy (1904 Kan- 

 sas Academy of Science, vol. XIX, pages 66-68). At that time a 

 complete canvass was made of the grocers and druggists in one 

 Kansas town and the exact condition of the quality of this drug 

 ascertained. This year we have canvassed the same town again, 

 obtaining the results as are set forth in the subjoined table. 



The columns have the following significance: I is the serial 

 number of the sample; II, the source of the sample; III, the acid- 

 ity in terms of pure potassium bi tartrate; IV, the retail price per 

 pound; V, the kind of goods, whether bulk or package; VI, the 

 calculated price per pound based upon the amount of the purchase; 

 VII, the measure delivered in terms of 100 per cent, as, for ex- 

 iraple, if the quantity was 1 oz. and the weight, as subsequently 

 determined, was found to be V^ oz., the measure delivered was 125 

 per cent; VIII, general observations. 



